A Mother's Love and a Miracle: A Story of Faith and Healing

Some details have been changed to prevent identification

One day, Rebbetzin Naomi Cohen received a surprising phone call that led to a gathering filled with many tears of unconditional love, mutual support, and strengthened faith among Jewish women who just seemed distant. A few months after this gathering, a great miracle occurred, changing Liat's family forever. Now, Rebbetzin Naomi Cohen shares the details with us.

"When Liat approached me, she spoke of a little, sweet girl who was diagnosed with leukemia. This girl was a relative, but the child's mother was not at all connected to the idea of a spiritual strengthening event with challah baking for her daughter's recovery. In fact, she was resistant."

The Rebbetzin shares how Liat showed remarkable dedication. Liat suggested hosting the event at her house instead of the child's, which convinced the hesitant mother there was nothing to lose, leading her to agree. The urgency of the matter prompted quick coordination to set the closest possible date for a women's gathering. Rebbetzin Cohen shares her experiences preparing for such an evening, her thoughts leading up to the event, and the moment she entered Liat's home and met the women waiting for her.

When Challenges Arise: Speakers Going Out, Tables Falling, and More

"This wasn't an ordinary challah baking event. The goal was clear: do everything possible for the girl's safety and recovery, b'ezrat Hashem. This was a battle for accumulating merits. Every evening, I bring my heart and soul, listening to each woman who approaches me. Here, emphasis was placed on 'one who prays for their friend is answered first,'" stresses Rebbetzin Cohen.

"That night, I felt strongly that we all needed spiritual strengthening according to each one's ability, in order to save the girl. Of course, each act of strengthening benefits the woman taking a small spiritual step. The Heavens appreciate every advancement. Additionally, I hoped to create a united, sisterly atmosphere among women for Hashem and the sick child."

The rebbetzin hoped to lead a powerful and joyful evening, but from the start, she faced challenges: "Even the yetzer hara tried to intervene. The speaker went out, the table fell, an electrical short occurred, neighbors suddenly blasted inappropriate music, and other distractions forced me to think creatively."

“From that Hug, She Began to Cry”

Another hurdle for the rebbetzin was the mother's initial lack of cooperation. "It was amazing," she recalls. "At first, she hid, trying to blend into the crowd as if to say, 'I'm not here.' I prayed to Hashem: Father in heaven, how can I strengthen a mother experiencing this crazy reality? Her child is in life-threatening danger—who am I to understand her?"

The rebbetzin decided on a short break, prayed, and did something simple that melted the mother's resistance: "I just hugged her, and from that hug, she started to cry and cry and cry. I asked if she believed there could be a change, and she replied, 'I don't connect with these gatherings, but something connects me to you.'"

The rebbetzin stayed by the mother's side the entire evening, speaking to her heart and strengthening her belief in the collective power of women to bring about blessed changes.

"From that hug and the tears that released the barriers, something opened inside the mother's heart. There was light, and she even laughed at my stand-up. Afterward, she shared an important commitment she accepted for her own spiritual strengthening, a private matter between her and Hashem."

"Coercion is Simply Out of the Question"

What is the right approach to help women with spiritual commitments without overwhelming them?

"First and foremost—it's known that in dialogue, we meet everyone at eye level, where coercion is out of the question. I receive every woman with love. From my gaze, they see that I really care. Through laughter and humor, a connection forms between the women and I. The goal is less about taking new commitments and more about strengthening existing ones, finding precision and harmony with their daily life."

"It's important to protect each woman's privacy as she chooses her spiritual strengthening path. I ask open questions—who wants to strengthen a certain commitment?—and during this moment, I close my eyes in the dim living room light, letting them connect with their commitment to Hashem. Those who wish to share do so willingly."

Even the rebbetzin herself committed to strengthening for the child's healing: "I raised my hand and said I would take on a 13-day strengthening commitment for the child's recovery."

“For the Sake of the Child, She Just Let Go”

What reinforcements did the women take that evening?

"Some chose handwashing, morning blessings, the Asher Yatzar blessing, reciting Psalm 121 for 13 days, welcoming Shabbat 5 minutes earlier, and then the evening's highlight— the hostess brought out an immodest piece of clothing and decided for the sake of the child's healing, she would just let it go! It was moving, such dedication from the women, so much sisterhood and love for the child's sake, for the people of Israel, and for Hashem."

About three weeks later, just before Shabbat at 3:42 PM to be precise, the rebbetzin received a call with the news: the test results from the night before showed the child had healed!

How do you explain nothing worked for an entire year, and then shortly after this spiritual gathering, such a miracle happened?

"There are two very important things: the power of desire and thought. Tears and prayers from the depths of one's heart cleanse it of negative emotions, thus creating space, b'ezrat Hashem, for something new to arrive."

Liat mentioned in a thank-you letter to the organization: "The announcement about the project caught my eye for a long time," she writes. "Every week I told myself, 'Next week it'll happen,' and so many weeks went by until I decided."

“That Week, They Could No Longer Find Any Affected Blood Cells”

"Very soon I called. Due to urgency, they helped me get a date. 60 women attended the event. In our city, that's like 600, if not 6,000. Another mother arrived, whose child also needed healing. The event was powerful and moving, with not a dry eye in the house. The dear Rebbetzin Naomi reached everyone's heart, especially my relative, the child's mother, who initially didn't even want to be part of it.

"The evening was filled with sanctity. Women who define themselves as secular made heartfelt commitments. We had the privilege of discarding immodest clothing that evening. We made commitments, recited blessings, and felt a closeness to Hashem! We hadn't seen or felt such an evening in a long time."

The phone calls the day after, and even weeks and months later, warmed the heart and soul. What a privilege it is to bring precious women closer to Hashem!

That week, no more affected blood cells were found in the bone marrow. Not even one in a million!

I'm sure we will hear more about the blessings that come from this evening. Thank you, Hashem.

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